Based.

[u/boxofcards100]

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[u/DaikiSan971219]

I don't ultimately oppose him, but he really dropped the socialist ball when he criminalized homosexuality recently. He can say as many based, worker/people-centric things and pass as many uplifting policies as he can, and should, but it'll all be in front of a backdrop of an authoritarian imposition of inequality and oppression upon a group of Burkinabe people that will literally never go away because to be LGBT is natural. I can only hope that as material conditions improve, so might their views on such backwardness.

[u/boxofcards100 → u/DaikiSan971219]

It’s logical to oppose the government’s policies on LGBT people (I do too), but I don’t think that’s a sufficient reason to oppose a country trying to free itself from imperialism.

Cuba was also not a bastion for LGBT rights until decades later.

[u/[deleted] → u/boxofcards100]

This is an incredibly short-sighted thing to say. Even if, hypothetically, Traore actually cared about opposing capitalism and imperialism beyond talking points (he doesn't since he simps for Russia, which is just as imperialistic as the US/West Europe), who would actually be "freed" under his administration? Even in the most generous scenario, why should LGBT have to be the sacred cow to be slaughtered on the altar of progress? How can we call ourselves socialists, a system which is entirely about freedom and democracy and justice for every single being on Earth, if we allow ourselves to pick and choose what abuses we are willing to tolerate in our goal of destroying the most tyrannical system the world has ever known? Such chauvinism is unacceptable, in my book. No groups of innocents can be tactically sacrificed to achieve our goal of ultimate worldwide liberation.

[u/Crazy_Explosion_Girl → u/DaikiSan971219]

Was about to say this. I can't exactly fangirl over the guy after that

[u/JstnJ]

Oh great, the guy handing out 2–5 year prison sentences for (checks notes) being gay. What a fall from grace.

[u/boxofcards100 → u/JstnJ]

It was the same with Cuba in its early days. Social conservatism dominates Burkina Faso, so that shouldn’t be a shock. As the nation develops, it will erode away.

Also, that bill criminalizing gay sex hasn’t been signed by him yet, so it’s not actually happening as of now.

Additionally, you can still support a movement while still being critical of it. Hamas is also socially conservative, but it is still progressive in the context of the Palestinian national liberation movement, which has many components that collaborate with each other.

[u/8Bitsblu → u/boxofcards100]

It was the same with Cuba in its early days. Social conservatism dominates Burkina Faso, so that shouldn’t be a shock. As the nation develops, it will erode away.

Okay, but it isn't exactly difficult to make the observation that Burkina Faso's junta government is not all that comparable in practice to the leadership and structure of the Communist Party of Cuba in any part of its history. I'm more than willing to give a particular state struggling against neo-colonialism a lot of grace around policies like these, but a worrying reality here is that there is no internal Party democracy or mass line to speak of that could push for change in a non-antagonistic way. Telling people "don't worry about it it'll work itself out" is not a materialist position. How will it work itself out? What social forces are behind this and what is their relationship to imperialism? What is the junta's alignment in relation to those social forces and their political line? What is the political line of the junta? Is it concrete or eclectic? What is the political organization of the junta and how does it engage with the masses? These (and more) are all questions you need to answer if you want to genuinely reassure people that this is just a temporary issue.

Also, that bill criminalizing gay sex hasn’t been signed by him yet, so it’s not actually happening as of now.

Additionally, you can still support a movement while still being critical of it. Hamas is also socially conservative, but it is still progressive in the context of the Palestinian national liberation movement, which has many components that collaborate with each other.

Hamas is engaged in an armed struggle with strong and organic mass support (see what I said earlier about internal party democracy and mass line) alongside longstanding and anti-revisionist Communist forces. Again, Burkina Faso's military junta is not that. Don't get me twisted, that doesn't mean the junta is simply bad. I agree in principle with what you said about critical support. The junta has positive aspects. Where I disagree is the way you are practicing this "critical support", which is only nominally "critical". A nationalist junta having positive aspects doesn't mean we should pretend like it's something it's not. Their radical reformism is not socialism, the junta cannot carry revolution to completion, and it will run into hard limits to its ability to actually end neo-colonialism in Burkina Faso especially as inter-imperialist contradictions in Africa sharpen and we head towards a third world war. Instead of blindly rushing to the "defense" of a government that hardly needs your support on reddit dot com, actually learn and analyze the errors of the Sankarist era (for all the good that was there serious errors did happen) and let that color your perspective on what's happening in West Africa now. Where popular defense against imperialism is actually needed, it will allow you to actually go to the masses in an informed and well-rounded way rather than simply telling them that it'll work itself out.

[u/Stubbs94 → u/boxofcards100]

Cuba did it at a time when basically no country had decriminalised homosexuality though, which is the difference. You don't need to call a movement progressive when it's socially conservative. Fighting for liberation isn't complete without freedom for all. Socialism under a socially conservative government is still repressive, and divides the working class.

[u/Allfunandgaymes]

Do you intend to lift the living standards of queer people too? I must ask.

[u/boxofcards100 → u/Allfunandgaymes]

Queer people are also affected by neocolonialism. Just like they are affected by genocide due to Israel.

[u/jack_seven]

Ok cool message but why is he sitting on a gilded chair?

[u/boxofcards100 → u/jack_seven]

I think it’s because the interview took place in the Kosyam Palace.

[u/kurtplease]

Based as fuck

[u/Electrical-Strike132]

Who's that? What revolution?

[u/boxofcards100 → u/Electrical-Strike132]

Ibrahim Traoré, Progressive Popular Revolution.

[u/blast_mastaCM]

This dudes all cool then he makes being gay illegal lol.

[u/boxofcards100 → u/blast_mastaCM]

He didn’t sign that bill (yet, at least).

[u/Emeril_in_Castelia]

EDIT: OP blocked me, haha. Tell me I'm right without telling me I'm right. Has the nerve to respond to me with drivel and garbage and remove my ability to reply! Classy! I'll respond with an edit below!

---

I don't care what this guy says, I care what he does and what he is. He is NOT, in fact, based.

1. No amount of pretty words will wash away the oppression he's bringing to the LGBT+ community. I have to roll my eyes so hard whenever y'all think you can be good little communists while throwing us under the bus. Nobody is free until we are ALL free.

2. Revolution doesn't come from above, it doesn't come from a military coup, and communism isn't achieved by a military junta.

I don't know what's happening in this subreddit but it feels like I've seen it all before. Cults of personality never go well.

To the OP's comments about Cuba: it straight up doesn't matter. We as communists learn from the mistakes of our past. Imagine if there was a country right now where all black people are slaves (like textbook bonafide slavery), you're saying it's fine for them to stay slaves because "something something material conditions" or whatever. Y'all ain't no comrades of mine. You're revolting. And not the good 'revolt'.

In any event, my morality and the safety and freedom of my people is not up for debate. Period.

---

EDITED REPLY TO OP'S COMMENT BECAUSE THEY BLOCKED ME:

You know what really says OP is confident that they're in the right? Lambasting me and then blocking me so I can't reply to them! Well, I'm going to anyway:

1. People care about the LGBT+ community. You're pathetic. You reek of neoliberal performative garbage, thinking they know best about everything because they used to be oppressed. They are actively oppressing us.

2. Interesting that you call me a liberal while you spout performative garbage, as I said. I'm not supporting people who oppress, no matter who they are. THAT is communism. Freeing the oppressed.

3. One exception does not a rule make~

4. Cuba enacted homophobic policies BECAUSE THEY HAD THEM BEFORE THE REVOLUTION! It was the FIFTIES! This is TODAY! And this band are choosing to oppress. Period.

Please, keep calling me a liberal and that nobody cares about me. I know that when I'm insulted by bad people, I'm in the right. It vindicates me. At least have the courage to allow me to publicly respond to you.

Although I would expect no less than cowardice from the likes of you.

[u/boxofcards100 → u/Emeril_in_Castelia]

Firstly, in response to your other reply: Nobody cares about what a Western bisexual person cares about, a poor, ravaged country freeing itself of neocolonialism. GTFO.

Secondly, you are an idealist who doesn’t understand the material conditions that could bring these anti-LGBT social views. If the law is signed and goes into effect, that’s condemnable, but you are a liberal who’s okay with perpetual imperialism just because a group is socially conservative.

A revolution can happen through a military coup, and that’s what Sankara did. Once again, you are just a liberal who’s projecting your hurt feelings onto one of the poorest nations in the world, justifying why its leadership is terrible, authoritarian, etc, as it frees its people with strong popularity.

BF is more poor and unstable than Cuba back then. You don’t even understand why the Cuban government did those policies, nor why modern BF does it either. Once again, you are a liberal.

Edit: I blocked you because I don’t want to engage with someone who’s a pure liberal idealist. LGBT people also get bombed by Jihadists who control 40 percent of the country, LGBT people are also poor due to neocolonialism, LGBT people are also directly marginalized/viewed poorly directly due to imperialism, etc.

The point in mentioning Cuba is that modern BF is poorer than Fidel’s government in the 60s. Whether it’s GDP per capita, literacy, infant mortality rate, life expectancy, etc, all of it is worse.

Just saying it was decades ago completely misses the point. In fact, modern BF being poorer than Cuba in the 60s shows the disastrous effects of neocolonialism/imperialism on Burkina Faso.

[u/that_random_scalie]

This speech is absolutely correct in basically every point. Too often imperialism is cloaked in the language of free trade and "humanitarian" help. However, The idea that queer people are an acceptable loss in service of socialism sends the message that the moment we become superfluous, we'll be sent the way of the billionaires post-revolutuon (much like how we are under capitalism). As insufferable as purity testing is, we can't risk running to the opposite and accept every flaw as a necessary evil (like US "democrats" preach). When someone misteps, demand they do better next time.

[u/Jonathanplanet]

Who is this gigachad

[u/boxofcards100 → u/Jonathanplanet]

Ibrahim Traoré.

[u/Donald2244]

this is nice and all but he did recently criminalize homosexuality in his country. not a fan.

[u/reasonsnottoplayr6s]

I just hope hes anti-capitalist/anti-private property, and not just a “capitalism is ok when regulated”